SSV: Project STATIC Part 3: Game Over

Chapter 6

Jake and Pam had spent the better part of the afternoon searching various abandoned buildings in the dilapidated corporate town. The state of the buildings was both eerie and depressing. Several of them looked like they'd been vacated while people were either still working or living in them. Pam wasn't even sure that Rebecca had extended her reach to this section of the city. That alone spoke volumes to the feeling this section of the city left behind. There were psychic echoes of sorrow and suffering that rang throughout the brick, mortar, wood, and steel that left Pam feeling almost dizzy at times. The people who had lived here had been absolutely miserable the entire time. Depression, fear, and anxiety ran rampant throughout the place despite the people being long gone.

Jake had mentioned that a good portion of the workers had probably been taken by Emily during her reign of terror. Their souls most likely displaced and scattered into the ether of the world. It was a harrowing theory, but one that Pam could certainly believe given the feel of the area. Poor souls that didn't know where they were, and might have even thought themselves still a part of the world. Unaware of the fact that the world had moved on without them years ago, and probably feeling trapped in the loneliness and misery of the unknown. If the stories about Voidfoot were to be believed, Pam shuddered to think what that might mean for those caught in her sick web.

Pam’s worry for Beth was ever-present as the sun began to set. The general feeling of the area within this section of the city only added to her anxiety. How someone could call this place home was beyond her, but then not everyone was tapped into the supernatural like herself. If her head was hurting from the short time they'd been here, then she could see why Rebecca had left this place untouched. Still, even without empathy, the area carried an air of dread and remorse. The air was somehow thicker and heavier here. Whether it was because of the residual imprints left, or the smog that once polluted the air, she couldn't say. Either way, she was sure that prolonged exposure to this place would undoubtedly have a negative impact on someone's mind.

"This one," Pam said, pointing at a large warehouse that was somehow mostly intact, "She's here, or at least her pistol is."

"You're sure?" Jake asked, looking back at his friend.

"Positive," Pam nodded, feeling the familiar pull of her magic from behind the large steel frame of the warehouse.

They'd come to the waterfront of Metropolis' corporate town, and this warehouse was one of the only left somehow untouched by time. There was no magic at play, but perhaps someone had done repairs to the building without others noticing. Even Jake had admitted that he'd neglected this part of the city, so it wouldn't have been hard to have a crew working from the shadows. They were still several yards away from the warehouse Pam had pointed out, but she could feel the energy from her spell rolling out of the building. Beth and her tormentor were undoubtedly inside, but how deep in she couldn't say for sure just yet.

"I know you want to storm the place, Pam, but we need to play this smart," Jake said, "Ingrid isn't an idiot, and she's probably got defenses lined up as a contingency. She might not be the strongest, but her tech more than makes up for whatever she is lacking physically. I can see if I might be able to get a scan on the area, but-"

"No," Pam sighed, putting her hands together and channeling a spell, "This girl has an affinity for technology, and it's likely she'll see your attempts once you try. She may even already be aware that we're here depending on how far her reach extends. Regardless, I think it would be better if I tried to locate and isolate what we may be walking into."

"Pam, I'm not sure that leveling a building is-" Jake started before cutting himself off at Pam's glare.

"I'm not destroying anything," Pam rolled her eyes, "I am going to cast a simple spell that will ping the area in question. It's similar to a locator spell, but I'll be using it to hone in her defenses rather than seeking life-force."

"You can do that?" Jake asked.

"It requires altering the spell, but yes," Pam nodded, "It may not be as exact as video feeds, or your tech, but Rebecca made sure that myself and Aurora could use our magic for situations like this. We were high ranking members of her inner circle, and we needed to be able to monitor our surroundings whenever we were in the field. Now, if you like, I can easily dismantle her equipment, but I'm assuming you want to take a stealthy approach."

"That would be ideal, yeah," Jake said, "Alright, do your thing, Pam."

Pam closed her eyes and exhaled slowly as she pulled in and channeled the energy in the area. A faint pulse shot out of her body, and it combed through the buildings surrounding them. To the untrained eye it appeared as nothing, but Jake saw the faint orange shimmer from the spell. Almost like a wall of smoke had just been pushed out, but it was gone as fast as he'd seen it. Not for the first time, Jake marveled at his friend's abilities and the control she had. Even with as much stress as he knew she was under right now, Pam still managed to make casting look simple. Not wanting to break her concentration, Jake kept quiet and watched her work.

Pam kept her eyes closed as a flickering image of the area started to form in her mind. Ingrid was definitely hiding in the building across the block. She could see an outline of the building and the maze-like structure of the walls. She wouldn't have a direct layout, but it was an idea all the same. More importantly, she could see the defenses hidden behind paneling or moving about from side to side. The ones that were stationary carried a higher level of electricity and power, and while Pam couldn't see what they were, she knew they were there. The girl had placed traps throughout the warehouse, and she most likely had remote access to them. There was something else in there, though, something giving off a large amount of power. Perhaps it was her computer system, but it was absolutely massive.

Pam opened her eyes and frowned as she turned to Jake, "The building is lined with a plethora of traps, cameras, and no telling what else. I can't tell if they're turrets, drones, or even just tripwires carrying something else, but she's fortified the area remarkably well. There's something in the center that is giving off a large amount of energy as well, Jake. Maybe it's her system, but again, I can't say for certain. She's going to see us coming, there's no doubt about that. Depending on how far her camera access goes, she may already have spotted us. That's assuming she's not torturing and humiliating Beth."

"Alright, so we're walking into a minefield, great," Jake sighed before adding, "For what it's worth, I don't think Ingrid is going to intentionally be torturing Beth. I'm not excusing what she's done, but I don't think you have to worry about her hurting Beth."

"It's not physical pain I worry about, it's the mental," Pam explained with a somber tone, "Beth has scars that run far beneath the skin. Everything she's endured from before we wound up together, and everything she's dealt with since then left her more damaged than she lets on. She's strong, I know this, but beneath all of that is a frightened little girl hiding behind her guns. You saw it with Abigail, for a brief time, and I am afraid that this girl could bring her trauma back to the surface."

"Do you really think that could happen?" Jake asked.

"I spent weeks comforting her when she was released into my care at the castle, Jake," Pam frowned, recalling copious nights her beloved awoke screaming, "I would distract her with training and conditioning, but she didn't see it as helpful at the time. It wasn't until shortly before we ran from Rebecca that she began to understand that I wasn't trying to torture her, I was trying to help her. Even after that was put to rest, she still struggled with her fears, insecurities, and trauma from past encounters. Abigail, that twisted harlot, earned my wrath because she woke the demons preying on my pet with her unwavering advances and abuse. Even if this Ingrid girl has good intentions, Beth can only handle so much before we slip backwards yet again."

It never ceased to amaze Jake how much happened behind the scenes with his friends. He'd known that Beth carried her share of hang-ups and issues from their losses, but it was one thing she never opened up about. It was also something that Jake didn't push her to talk about. In truth, his friend seemed to be more composed than anything. She'd always had a temper, so Jake didn't put much stock in the potential of her hiding something behind it. However, hearing Pam sum her up made sense. Beth was his best friend, and he could see how her brash attitude was a clever mask for her to hide behind. He was beginning to understand exactly why Pam was as worried as she was. If Pam was right, then his friend was potentially hanging on by a thread.

“Then let’s not keep her waiting,” Jake finally said, trying his best to comfort and reassure his friend, “I’m right beside you, Pam.”

Pam had a small smile on her face as she felt the sincerity from her friend. “Thank you, Jake,” she said, "For what it's worth, it means a lot to me that you're here and willing to help."

"I'll always be there for my friends," Jake said before asking, "I don't suppose you saw a good way in, did you?"

"No," Pam replied, "My spell didn't map the area. All it did was allow me to get a feel for what may be waiting for us beyond the doors. We could always knock."

"Is that a joke?" Jake scoffed.

"Well, by knock of course I mean blow the doors off of her home," Pam shrugged, "If Beth weren't in danger, I'd personally pull the entire building down on this woman."

"Okay, so I'll be taking point on this one," Jake sighed, grabbing a birdarang from his utility belt and flipping it open, "This could backfire, but at least it'll give us an idea of the surrounding area."

"What is that?" Pam asked, watching as Jake typed a few commands on his wrist.

"Remote birdarang that has a camera feed in it," Jake explained, "I can control it after I toss it, and the video feeds directly to my suit. Ingrid might see it coming, but if it's shot down then we know she's got turrets outside."

"She's not going to tip her hand that easily," Pam said, "This girl is smarter than that. I hate her, but she's clearly a clever bitch."

"You don't even know her," Jake pointed out," How can you hate her?"

"Because she stole Beth from me, obviously," Pam rolled her eyes, "I'm possessive, sue me."

"Your words, not mine," Jake mumbled before glaring at Pam when she slapped the back of his head, "What was that for?!"

"You don't have to agree with me, twit," Pam answered.

"Add violent to the list of character defects," Jake scoffed, dodging another incoming slap, "It's a good thing! At least you can recognize your issues."

"Then how about you lead with that next time, jackass?" Pam asked, "If you're going to insult me, then at least have the decency to preface it with something kind."

"Alright, alright, yeesh," Jake sighed, "You know, my actual sister isn't as confrontational as you."

"Just shut up and throw the damn thing," Pam said, "I'm getting impatient."

"Right, back to work," Jake nodded, flicking his wrist and launching the birdarang into the air.

The birdarang flew upward and arched out towards the warehouse. It slowed down as Jake adjusted the controls on it and the camera switched on. Jake watched carefully and closely as he got an aerial lay of the land. There were windows scattered along the sides of the warehouse, but they were either cracked, stained, or boarded up. They could always chance sneaking in, but he couldn’t gauge what they might encounter. However, he could see various cameras scattered along the edges of the roof, and he could see more attached to the lamp posts scattered around the perimeter. As much as he hated to admit it, the front door was starting to look like their best option.

Ingrid may not have been as dangerous as the other women he’d faced throughout his career, but she was cunning and clever. She knew who he was, and she had to know that both Pam and himself would be coming for Beth sooner or later. Putting himself in her position, he’d have probably placed traps near the windows. Whether that be traps to be triggered upon entry, or pressure plates for who knew what, she was undoubtedly prepared for a sneak attack. A frontal assault was risky and reckless, but it was looking like that was their only option. Still, if there was another way he’d have to try to find it.

As his birdarang circled the building, something activated along the rooftop of the building. Jake caught a brief glimpse of some sort of turret as it rose up and activated. Gunshots never rang out, but instead an electromagnetic pulse cut through the air. Jake’s camera feed turned to static as his birdarang fell out of the sky and clattered to the ground. She knew they were already here. Jake frowned as he closed the panel on his wrist and turned Pam, “That was a bust.”

“She’s expecting us then,” Pam surmised as she rolled her neck and cracked her knuckles, “Let’s not keep this little harlot waiting then, Jake.”

“Pam, hold on a second,” Jake said, stepping around Pam to stop her, "I know you're pissed, but the last thing we need is for you to fly off the handle here. We bring Ingrid to justice, not kill her."

"She stole my beloved from me, and she's stripped her of her collar," Pam glared at him, "She'll be lucky if I grant her a merciful death, Jake."

"Pam, think about this," Jake sighed, "We're trying to be symbols for people to look to, remember? Killing isn't the way to get people back on our side. After everything that's happened between Courtney, Myers, and Amelia, we cannot afford to go backwards. We bring Ingrid down, we bring her in, and we do it by the book, okay?"

Pam stared at him for a long moment before she sighed, "Fine, I'll try to restrain myself. So help me, if one hair on Beth's head is out of place then this girl will suffer."

"That's about as good as I'm going to get, as far as a promise goes, isn't it?" Jake asked and sighed when Pam nodded, "Alright, let's move in and see what she's got."

—------------

Ingrid shook her head and sighed as she looked down at Beth. Her sweet little playmate looked absolutely miserable despite the forced smile on her face. Currently, she was having Beth kiss and rub her feet. It felt amazing, and it was obvious Beth had done this before. Her experienced and well-versed hands deftly maneuvered around her soles. She was torn between sadness and frustration as she watched Beth work. It hurt to see Beth as miserable as she obviously was, but it was also infuriating given that she knew she'd been in a relationship with another woman. Ingrid closed her eyes and tried to keep her frustrations pushed down to avoid letting them spill over. The last thing she wanted after earlier was to push Beth further away. She glanced over at the centrifuge running in the background.

"That's enough for now," Ingrid flatly sighed, "You can stop, Beth. I'd be impressed if it weren't for how sullen you look."

"Forgive me for not being enthused about being forced into another relationship," Beth grumbled, sitting back on the floor and hanging her head.

"You seemed pretty happy with your blonde bimbo," Ingrid pointed out, "You two ended up together because of similar circumstances, so tell me why this should be any different."

"Don't call her that," Beth snarled.

"Keep that attitude up, and you'll be my gaming cushion until you learn better manners," Ingrid snapped, her tone becoming much harsher, "I asked you a question, Beth. Answer me!"

Beth flinched, but she turned her neck to the side to let out some tension. "Relax, I didn't say I wouldn't answer," Beth said, trying to keep her nerves out of her voice, "She's not a bimbo, and I only ended up with her because she put herself on the line. I was broken, paralyzed from the waist down, and was about to be a fucking toy for some of the most sadistic women you've ever imagined. I didn't know it until much later, but Pam went to Goth and struck a deal with her. She got to keep me to herself and train me, but if I stepped out of line or rebelled, then Pam would be stripped of everything she'd achieved. She'd be reduced to a slave, and both of us would be treated like objects. All you did was kidnap me, Ingrid."

"You could have-" Ingrid started before her alarms started to go off, "Hmm, they're here sooner than I expected. Hmph, let's see how they fare against my new defense system. Come here, Beth, I want you to watch as I help put your little relationship in the rearview mirror once and for all."

Beth bit her tongue as she stood up and walked behind Ingrid. She could see Jake and Pam on one of the screens, and she could already tell Pam was furious. "Don't count them out just yet," Beth said, "I wouldn't underestimate either of them."

"Your girlfriend doesn't even have any weapons," Ingrid scoffed, flipping a switch to activate her defenses, "She's armed with nothing but idiocy and anger. I hope she's ready for a closed casket funeral."

Beth looked on with a knowing grin as she watched Pam raise her hands at the same time two automated turrets sprang to life. Pam stepped in front of Jake, and she brought her hands down as the turrets started to fire. To Ingrid's shock, the turrets crumbled in on themselves, and Pam raised her hands again to summon a barrier as the bullets hurdled towards her and Jake. Ingrid leaned forward in surprise as she watched another screen flash when the turrets were destroyed. Adding to her bewilderment, she watched as the bullets froze in the air before falling to the ground.

"What the hell?!" Ingrid shouted in frustration, "Must have been a lucky glitch for her."

"Not luck, magic," Beth corrected Ingrid with a smug smirk.

"Don't give me that crap," Ingrid scoffed, "That hocus pocus bullshit is all folklore and Hollywood garbage. Your girlfriend got lucky, that's all it amounts to."

"So, you can explain the Goth Goddess and hee abilities?" Beth countered.

"Advanced tech, smoke, and mirrors," Ingrid replied dryly, "Magic isn't real, Beth."

"I said the same thing until I started dating a mage," Beth shrugged, earning a pointed look from Ingrid.

"No more talking," Ingrid spat, and Beth immediately closed her mouth and glared at her, "Good girls should be seen and not heard, and I need to concentrate on killing your girlfriend. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you, sweetheart. Just be quiet and watch while I work."

Beth had never wanted to hit someone as bad as she did right now. Ingrid had been nerdy and weird in college, but now she was just condescending and cruel. Whatever hold she had over her kept her rooted in place, though, and Beth could only stand and do as she was told. The only thing that kept her sane was the knowledge that Ingrid was sorely underestimating Pam. She was going to enjoy watching Pam mop the floor with Ingrid. The taste of her sweaty feet still lingered on her lips, and she was ready to see her captor get her just desserts.

—-------

Jake and Pam hadn't made it twenty feet beyond the doors when Ingrid's defenses came online. Jake had been readying his equipment when Pam stepped forward and decimated the first two turrets. She continued forward without a word, and Jake trailed behind her with a couple of birdarangs at the ready in each hand. Pam glanced around for any signs of movement, and her eyes locked with a camera hanging in the open above the large entryway. She was tempted to smash it, but then a distant whirring noise caught her attention. Off in the distance, various panels rose up along the wall to release Ingrid's next traps. A handful of automated drones roared to life as they started to drift out of the storage spaces and come online.

"I hope she's watching closely," Pam growled through gritted teeth as she let her anger course through her.

The drones circled around the two of them for a second before they launched into an attack pattern. Jake and Pam counted five in total, and two of them dove at them. The two that soared toward Pam had blades attached to the ends of their wings and crackled with electricity. Pam could see small gunbarrels rising up from the center of the drones, and she could clearly see the blinking red light of a camera. She whipped her hand in a vicious arc and sent out a wave of lightning aimed at one of the drones. Pam wasn’t surprised when her attack missed. Her attack hadn’t been meant to take any of them down, but more to break their formation.

However, Jake was ready to capitalize on the opening Pam created. As the drones circled them, Jake launched one of his birdarangs at the barrel of an approaching drone. It crackled and sizzled as it embedded itself into the drone, and it wasn’t long before it fell from the air. Jake was on the move as Pam tried to draw the fire of the drones. Pam brought her feet together and started channeling as much energy as she could without draining herself. It wasn’t much, but it made her a clear target. Unsurprisingly, it seemed to be working. Whether that was because Ingrid was targeting her, or because of her channeling, she couldn’t be sure.

Bolts of electricity started to form around Pam as she slowly raised her hands. Three of the four remaining drones continued to circle her as their weapons came online. Two of them opened fire at her while the third charged forward. Pam kept her eyes locked on the drone flying towards her and its fin-like blade, but she released a pulse from her hands to deflect the bullets from the others. The pair continued to dance around her, but Pam sidestepped the one diving for her. A flash of electricity shot out as it passed her, and she grimaced as she was taken by surprise. Furious at her miscalculation, Pam reached out and let a bolt of arcane energy fly from her hand. A bullet grazed her arm, and in response she summoned two more bolts of energy. If this girl wanted to have a fight, then Pam would happily oblige. She took control of her own projectiles, and a chase ensued as she guided them towards the drones attacking her. They were forced to break formation, but it wouldn't be over until they were destroyed.

Meanwhile, Jake had tried to flank and get around to the back of Ingrid’s defenses. However, he came face to face with a surprise turret that sprang to life as he got close. He cursed as he launched into a back handspring to avoid the flames that shot out of the nozzle. Fire spewed forth as in short bursts, but luckily it appeared to be stationary. Still, it was clear he wouldn't be moving forward until that one was dismantled. The sound of beeping from behind him caught his ear, and Jake spun around in time to watch as the fourth drone launched what he guessed was a grenade at him. Thinking quickly, Jake dove out of the way to try to avoid getting caught in the blast. The drone pulled up as the grenade clattered along the ground before exploding and opening a portion of the wall.

"Pam, through here!" Jake shouted, gesturing to the opening as Pam continued trying to dismantle and destroy Ingrid's drones.

Pam glanced over at Jake as she continued sending her attacks out to scatter the drones. She nodded her understanding before slipping into the ground and disappearing. She detonated the bolts as she did so, and two more drones fell out of the air in broken clumps. Pam appeared on the other side of the hole just as Jake jumped through it. She raised her hand to erect a barrier and pull the wall back into place for reinforcement. The drones slammed into the wall, and she clenched her fist to cause the debris to shatter once more. Combined with the force of her magic, the remaining two drones were finished as they were impaled with various bits of shrapnel from the wood and metal. They were alone for a moment, but neither of them felt secure or confident that it would last long. Ingrid was sure to have eyes everywhere.

Looking around, they found themselves in what looked to be an old loading dock, or at least part of one. The floor space was massive and empty racks lined the space to form various corridors. Some of the racking had things stored in them, tech that Ingrid had ordered or built they guessed, but most of it was left barren. "Can you sense her?" Jake asked, looking around for any more traps or surprises.

"She's closer," Pam nodded, feeling a distant mixture of anger and satisfaction, "My guess is that this girl was hoping to make Beth watch us die. Given her affinity for technology, it's doubtful she believes in my abilities. She won't be the first person I've taught, and she won't be the last. However, she might have the most painful indoctrination to date. This way, Jake."

—----------------

"Ugh, stupid little shits!" Ingrid exclaimed as she slammed her fists down onto her keyboard, "Dumb bitch can't even die right! Got something to say, honey? Spill it before I change my mind!"

"I told you not to underestimate them," Beth immediately answered, "I hope you've got something more up your sleeve unless you want to find out just how much Pam can hurt someone."

"Oh, I've got something for the two of them," Ingrid grinned, "Your girlfriend might have some skills, and Jake is clearly better than I gave him credit for, but let's see how they handle what I've got in store."

"Ingrid, please," Beth said, grabbing Ingrid's wrist as she stood up, "Please, stop this before it goes too far. I'm sorry, okay? Really, I am. Whatever you're mixed up in, whoever you're working with, leave them in the rearview and work with us. I never meant to hurt you, I swear. Just let me go, and I promise I can get Pam to back off."

"Not happening, Beth," Ingrid said, pulling her arm away, "I can appreciate you apologizing, hell, I can even understand a change of heart. But, I'm done being a loser in life. You're all I want, and I'm not giving up my one chance at having you. Your girlfriend doesn't scare me, and I've already made my choice."

"Please-" Beth started before Ingrid cut her off and silenced her.

"No more, Beth, I don't want to hear another word. Come on, you're going to be my lure to catch a couple of annoying pests that think they can outsmart me. Let's go, honey, I can't wait until you see my latest creation!"

Ingrid flipped a number of switches on her way past her computer to activate more of her defenses. The plan was simple enough; herd her two sheep into the right area and put them in their proper place. They might have been tougher than she thought, but she wanted to see how well they fared in her world. This was going to be epic, and she'd enjoy toying with these two idiots between playing with Beth. Besides, her game needed proper testing if she was going to earn the millions she'd been promised by Eva. What better way than to capture, subdue, and brainwash two gigantic pains in their collective asses? Ingrid grabbed a small wrist computer that she'd built weeks ago and strapped it on. A quick flick of her fingers, and she could monitor her defenses and watch the bugs scurry towards their final resting place.

She pulled Beth along, but she let her go shortly after noticing that several of her drones were failing. What the hell was this woman made of? Magic wasn't real, it couldn't be! She had no weapons, and even Jake wasn't that good in a fight. Growing annoyed, Ingrid flipped a switch to engage the electrofloors she'd installed. If the drones wouldn't move them, then she'd force them to flee. She made a deliberate choice to leave the only opening for her game room. All she needed was for the two of them to make it there, and she could do the rest. She smirked as she threw the door to her master chamber open and waited. It wouldn't be long now.

Ingrid's smirk fell as a bolt of lightning whizzed past her face the second she closed the door. "Let her go!" Pam shouted from across the room, "One chance, girl, or I will teach the true meaning of suffering."

Ingrid frowned, and she pulled Beth in front of her to use her as a shield, "You want to try throwing another one, Miss Bitch? If I can't have her, then nobody can!"

"Ingrid, stop!" Jake shouted, stepping in front of Pam before his friend could do something she'd regret, "Let us help you. The Brunswicks are insane, and whatever this is doesn't have to end in a fight!"

"Shut up, Jake!" Ingrid snapped, grabbing Beth's chin and forcing her to look at her friend, "This is all because of you two and your lies! Now, here's what's going to happen-"

"I said let her go!" Pam cut her off, a shockwave of energy shaking the room.

"Knock it off before I have her blow her brains out!" Ingrid screamed, immediately making Pam stop and making Beth flinch, "That's right, I'm in complete control of everything little Beth does. She's mine, and whatever I say she'll do. Observe, Beth grab the gun from my waistband, switch the safety off, and aim it at your head."

"I-Ingrid," Beth whimpered as her shaky hand followed another order.

"I didn't say speak, did I?!" Ingrid demanded, "Do as you're told, Beth. Be a good girl for me, and show these morons what they're up against."

"Don't talk to her like that," Pam warned, taking a step forward before stopping as she watched Beth hold the gun to her head.

"Oh, so you do care," Ingrid scoffed in a dry tone, "Funny considering you're a poser dressed up like some sort of medieval witch."

Pam grit her teeth and clenched her fist. The nerve of this little girl to insult her while forcing her beloved to hold herself hostage. "Coming from a girl who wants to play the apathetic card while coming across as desperate," Pam spat at her, frozen in place, "Of course I care about her, she's the entire reason I'm still here! What's your excuse, girl?"

"I loved her long before you ever came into the picture!" Ingrid barked back, "She and I are meant to be together, and you're just another obstacle standing in the way of my happiness! I won't let you take her from me!"

"So you take her against her will?" Pam asked, "Yes, because that's how a great love story unfolds. Release her, and I won't rip your soul from your body."

"Empty threats," Ingrid rolled her eyes, "You want her, then I'll make you a deal. Both of you are going to play a little game I've been working on. It should be simple enough, even for a halfwit like you. Walk over to the chairs there, find an empty one, and take a seat to start."

"Have her lower the gun first," Pam countered, standing firm, "If you actually care about her, then you'll let her relax. You're scaring her, and I'll take whatever challenge you've got if it means I can have her back."

Ingrid glared at Pam before glancing at Beth, and she felt a lump in her throat as she watched her crush quiver in terror. She saw the tears roll down her cheeks, and she shook off her outrage once more. What was happening to her? "Lower the gun, Beth," Ingrid said, her tone flat and even once again, "There, she's fine. Now, do as you're told."

"She's far from that, but at least she's not in danger," Pam grumbled as she walked around to find a chair, "Come along, Jake."

"Pam, are you sure about this?" Jake asked, slowly following his friend, "She could be sending us to our deaths."

"She's not," Pam replied, "She's too cocky for that, and she has orders, don't you, Ingrid?"

"Shut up," Ingrid snapped, pointing to the headgear suspended above the chairs they chose, "Pull those down and strap them on. As long as you're not a total moron, you'll be fine for the time being. I need a guinea pig for my latest creation, and you two seem more than capable of helping me test some things."

"What is this?" Jake asked, reaching up and pulling the headgear down.

"A game, Jake," Ingrid smirked, "It's going to be fun, and I think you'll enjoy it before you screw it up. Of course, I'm betting your poser friend goes down first. She looks like the type that's too good for games."

"Piss off, bitch," Pam spat as she pulled her headgear down and strapped it in, "Whatever this is, I'll beat it and then I'm going to beat you into a pulp for taking what's mine!"

"Oh, I'm absolutely shaking," Ingrid cackled as she switched her wrist computer to the control panel for her game, "Fun as this is, I'm sick of listening to you talk. Don't worry, I'll be in touch before too long. Well, assuming you don't get yourself killed in the first ten minutes! Sayonara, losers!"

Ingrid flipped the switch, and both Jake and Pam were hit with waves of pain in an instant. Pam grit her teeth to keep from screaming as the worst migraine she'd ever experienced washed over her. Jake clenched his fists as he felt the familiar sensation of being ripped out of his own body. What the hell was this?! His vision began to distort into an almost rainbow of colors before everything went dark and he felt himself falling through nothingness. Whatever this was, he had a bad feeling it wasn't going to be pretty or easy to overcome. He just hoped that Pam hadn't bitten off more than they could chew, and that Beth could hold on long enough for them to beat whatever this was.